DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Housing
Swiss news & articles
Unique homeowners tax to be abolished in Switzerland by 2023
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Unique homeowners tax to be abolished in Switzerland by 2023

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Switzerland moves to scrap imputed rental value tax: What you need to knowSwitzerland moves to scrap imputed rental value tax: What you need to know
New hope for homebuyers as Swiss mortgage interest rates fall to 3-year lowNew hope for homebuyers as Swiss mortgage interest rates fall to 3-year low
Why are Swiss house prices rising as prices across Europe fall?Why are Swiss house prices rising as prices across Europe fall?
Interest rates on Swiss mortgages drop by almost half in two yearsInterest rates on Swiss mortgages drop by almost half in two years
Swiss housing market "can no longer be explained" as prices double in 20 yearsSwiss housing market "can no longer be explained" as prices double in 20 years
Mortgage interest rates in Switzerland fall to two-year lowMortgage interest rates in Switzerland fall to two-year low
House prices begin to fall in Switzerland, analysis revealsHouse prices begin to fall in Switzerland, analysis reveals
Will the cost of buying or renting a home in Switzerland rise in 2024?Will the cost of buying or renting a home in Switzerland rise in 2024?
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Sep 23, 2021
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

The Council of States, the upper house in the Swiss government, has voted to abolish the Imputed Rental Value tax. It is hoped that getting rid of the "unique" tax will make buying a house, owning property and accessing mortgages far easier.

Imputed Rental Value is a unique tax for homeowners in Switzerland

Imputed Rental Value tax, or Eigenmietwert, is a law included in the taxes, costs and fees of owning a home. This is where the theoretical rent that you could charge annually by leasing your house is added on to your total income for the year and taxed as such. According to World Radio Switzerland, the law is unique to the country and is seen by many as the biggest hurdle to pass through before owning a house.

The government has been trying to reform the tax for decades, with several attempts failing to pass through because of the "knock-on" effect on other taxes. Now, a new plan to abolish the tax narrowly passed the upper house by 20 votes to 17, with nine abstentions. The change will cost the government around 1,6 billion Swiss francs a year in lost revenue.

As part of the changed law, the tax would be abolished alongside several other tax deductions, such as for maintenance work. The Council of States also discussed how tax deductions on mortgage interest payments would be affected, but no agreement was reached. The full law will still apply to second homes and homes used for holidays.

Abolishing Eigenmietwert will benefit those buying a house

UBS, a major Swiss bank, reported in August that the abolition of the Imputed Rental Value tax would benefit most homebuyers, although the change may result in fewer maintenance projects on older properties because of the elimination of tax breaks. 

The new law is due to be recalled to the National Council for further scrutiny before being sent for executive approval. UBS expects the changes to come into effect by 2023, although it is still unclear whether the law will be sent to referendum.

By Jan de Boer